Bama in Top Four for Mustain

Andrew Bone

12/21/2005

Scout.com's No.1 quarterback in the country was live in-studio Wednesday night on Countdown to Signing Day. Mitch Mustain from Springdale (Ark.) decommitted from the Razorbacks, and he discusses three schools battling the Hogs for his signature.

"There are a few select schools I am considering, and hopefully I will make the right decision," said Mitch Mustain. "The past few weeks have been crazy. It was to my best interest that I opened everything back up. I hated to do it, but I don't regret my decision at all."

Mustain informed Scout.com prior to the live interview on Countdown to Signing Day that his short list included Alabama, Arkansas, Notre Dame and Tennessee.

Alabama is a new school added in the late stages of the recruiting process as Mustain said, "Alabama had never been on my recruiting radar. I started watching them on television this year, and I really enjoyed watching them play. I have a good friend who is a big Alabama fan. He is always telling me I need to go there."

"I think coach [Mike] Shula is a good coach. He has experience in the NFL and as a quarterback," Mustain added.

Mustain discusses Notre Dame and Tennessee as well.

Notre Dame: "I really like the way the program has turned around. They came out this season and lit it up on offense. It's an awesome place academically."

Tennessee: "The history of the program show that they know how to win. I think they are heading in the right direction. I like coach [David] Cutcliffe a lot."

Mustain may go with his heart, stay home and play for the Razorbacks, and he leads in that direction. "I have been in his [Gus Malzone] system for five years," Mustain said of the new Arkansas offensive coordinator and former head coach. "We are really close to each other, and I am close with his whole family. He is a coach that is real easy to play for. I attribute a lot of my success to him. We have a very strong personal relationship with each other."

"I made it clear to him before he took the Arkansas job that I felt I needed to look around. He fully understood and supported me. Now he is recruiting me for Arkansas."

Mustain finished a remarkable career at Springdale passing for 3,817 yards with 47 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He was 190/270 (70%) which broke an Arkansas state record for completion percentage in a single season.

A true leader on-and-off the field Mustain knows his qualities and a few key areas he would like to improve before making the college transition.

"I definitely think my leadership is my biggest strength," said Mustain. "I feel I need to work on my game management. I need to control the pace of the game. I understand a lot more this year than I did last year. I have to keep learning."

When asked the determining factors of his decision, the nation's top quarterback replied, "All the schools I am considering I have a strong interest in. I am going to go to the school where I feel the most comfortable. I want to go to a great program where I will have a strong relationship with the coaching staff."

Stay tuned to Scout.com as we bring you the latest with Mitch Mustain including daily reports from San Antonio prior to the U.S. Army All-American game.